Flashback Friday

Since Christmas is right around the corner, we thought we'd share this picture from Christmas 1980.  Here, Mark is feeding his daughter, Casey, while reading the latest copy of Car Craft Magazine.  We think this photo captures the essence of Mark pretty well! Who agrees?! 

Merry Christmas to all of our friends, family, employees, vendors, customers, and fans!

Flashback Friday

We recently came across a handful of pictures from our FIRST Christmas party in our current building.  Yesterday, we had our annual Christmas pitch-in, and it's amazing to see how we've grown!!! We're so blessed to be thriving all these years later, in this economy.  Thank you to our employees, customers, vendors, and friends for all of your help in getting us here!

Take a look at how much has changed in 11 years!

 Food assortment in 2000!

 Food assortment in 2011!

Breakroom in 2000! (Nearly all employees + Buchanan family)

Breakroom in 2011! (About 1/3 of bo-mar employees)

2000: Lots of familiar faces! Adam, Jim, Pat, Jonathon, Ken, and Rob are all here 11 years later.

 2011: Adam, Jim, and Pat can all be found in this one! :-)

2000

 

 

2011

2011: Check out that line!!

We'll have a few more pictures from this year's party posted next week!

IMIS-Indy

Last week, we spent three days downtown at the Convention Center for the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS).  The crowds were great--the best we've ever witnessed--and it was nice to see so many new and familiar faces! How many of you made it out to the show this year?

 It got busy around our booth!  Even Dean 'Guido' Antonelli (Crew Chief for John Force) made it over to talk with Mark and the guys.

 Our Christmas tree was a big hit at the show! We had several people put in requests for trees of their own.

Mark and his good friend, Chip, chat with racing legend Sid Waterman!



Flashback Friday

Looking through our album of potential Flashback Friday pictures, we found this old photo from our display at an American Public Transportation Association trade show, down in New Orleans, from the mid-'90s.  Today, nearly two decades later, we're sitting behind our booth at the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) at the Indiana Convention Center.  What a great way to promote our fabrication business!

 

Flashback Friday

Yesterday we wrote a blog about installing our fourth laser.  It's funny how things work out! As it turns out, bo-mar installed their very first laser cutter on December 1st.......17 years earlier!  Back in December 1994, we were just moving out of the Buchanan's pole barn and into a rented building unit on Franklin Road.  The guys never thought they would fill the 6,000 square foot building, but it didn't take long before they were renting out the units next door as well.  All these years later, we're running out of room in our 38,000 square foot building.  We're very thankful for our continued success over the past 20 years!   

Mark & former employee Mike setting up bo-mar's FIRST laser cutter, which we still use today!

You Can Never Have Too Many....

Today, we added a fourth Mazak laser cutter to our collection!  The guys had been awaiting their new machine's arrival for a few weeks, and now the wait is over.  Of course, we've had to move some things around out in the shop, but we're happy to have our 4000 Watt Mazak (with a shuttle table).  We're hoping to have it running on Monday!

Flashback Friday

Since Thanksgiving was yesterday, we thought we'd use this Flashback Friday to say what we're thankful for.  Of course, we're most thankful for our hard-working group of employees, our valued customers, and our reliable vendors. We hope they all had a great holiday weekend!


Here we have four old pictures of our talented employees at work:

Press Brake Operator Juan, with former employee Duaine 

Victor

Jim has been with us since 1994, when we operated out of a polebarn!

Les

More Mackey Arena!

Just when everyone thought we were finished posting about our projects for Purdue, we go and write more! Last Friday, Mark, Ronson, and Tyler went back up to West Lafayette to add more details to a couple projects.  Mark's daughter, Kelly, tagged along to take pictures and keep the guys in line. First, Ronson and Tyler installed some vents in the giant 'P' light to keep it from getting too hot.  Then, the guys all worked together to mount a couple of metal cutouts on one of the glass signs outside of Mackey's athletic center.  After working in the bitter wind for an hour or two, the guys completed their tasks.  We believe everything is looking great! What do you guys think? 

 (bo-mar also worked on this column for inside Mackey)

Flashback Friday

 

Bo and Mark with their good friend Billy Jay on his wedding day! (circa November 1975)  Billy recently helped bo-mar with a project for Lucas Oil.

Flashback Friday

As a continuation of last week's Flashback Friday, we have a couple more pictures from an old trip to Pomona, California.  While the guys do go to California to network and watch the races, they also go to visit Mark's friend, Sylvia.  Sylvia lives in Burbank and writes for hit television shows.  During this particular trip to California, Mark and bo-mar's long-time laser operator, David, got to visit the set of ABC's "According to Jim," where Sylvia was a writer for the series. bo-mar later went on to make custom keychains for the cast of "According to Jim" (which starred Jim Belushi.)

Mark sitting in Jim Belushi's signature chair on the set of "According to Jim."

David on the set of "According to Jim."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a separate note: bo-mar would like to wish all of the race teams good luck in the final race of the year this weekend! 

An Afternoon of Go-Kart Racing!

On Sunday, October 30th, a group of bo-mar employees met up at New Castle Motorsports Park for an afternoon of go-kart racing.  Everyone had been invited out by owners Bo and Mark, for an early 20 year anniversary celebration.  It was a nice, sunny fall day, and aside from some kart troubles and disputes with the NCMP employees, everyone seemed to have a good time! We're still working on putting video footage together, but in the meantime, we have a slideshow of pictures from the outing! Enjoy.

Go-Kart Slideshow!

Purdue Projects All Completed!

bo-mar has officially finished and installed all of the projects for Purdue University! Some of the guys spent the weekend finishing things up in West Lafayette. Here is a preview of our most recent pictures! To see more, visit us on facebook!

  Inside the Athletic Center in Mackey Arena.

 In front of Mackey's Athletic Center.

 Outside of Mackey.

Flashback Friday

We have mentioned in previous blogs about how owners Bo and Mark Buchanan have good relationships with their employees.  For this Flashback Friday, we have evidence!  Each year, Mark and one or two bo-mar employees travel to Pomona, California for the first and last NHRA drag race of the season!  While they usually do some networking at the track, it's also just a time for them to enjoy the races together! This is a tradition that has been going on for years.      

[Left to Right: long time friend & former bo-mar employee Tony, bo-mar's Vice President Mark, bo-mar's Plant Manager Adam, and laser operator David--in front of the Hollywood sign; February 2004]

[The guys hanging out with Mark's friend Sylvia before the first drag race of the 2004 NHRA season]

Mackey Arena Update

The giant 'P' light for Purdue University is now hanging in Mackey Arena! The 'P' was delivered and installed on Monday (October 31st).  The first regular-season home game for the men's basketball team is set for 11/11/11.  The following Wednesday (November 16th), Purdue's athletic department will host a community open house at the new Mackey Arena from 5-7 PM.

Flashback Friday

With Halloween around the corner, we were hoping to post an old All Hallows' Eve picture or two.  Unfortunately, we don't have any! Instead, what we have is something that few of you have seen--something still pretty scary--Bo (and Mark) Buchanan with long hair! ;-)

The boys with their Great-Grandma Spencer.

Purdue University Update

This week, we're still working away on our artwork project for Purdue University's new Mackey Arena.  In addition to the pieces of art for outside the arena, bo-mar is also manufacturing a giant "P" which will be displayed inside Mackey Arena!  The "Fast P" is 2 feet wide, over 14 feet across, and nearly 8 feet tall! Delivery is set for tomorrow (Friday, October 28th).  We'll be sure to upload pictures of the finished products when they're all set up in West Lafayette.

Outdoor artwork for Mackey Arena--getting ready to travel to West Lafayette!

"Fast P" for inside Mackey Arena